The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned two suspected illegal miners before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The defendants were arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on a five-count charge bordering on unlawful possession and exportation of mineral resources.
One of the counts read, “That you, Zhang Hong Lin, Gao Pei Hai, and Gao Pei Yu (at large) sometime in 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired between yourselves and with intent to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria of the revenue accruing therefrom and without the permission of the appropriate authority, engaged in the exportation of ‘Mica products, copper bearing and lithium bearing mineral resources’ out of Nigeria, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983 and punishable under Section 8 of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the offence.
In view of their plea, the prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants’ to be remanded in a correctional centre.
The defence counsel, Jeremiah Okoro, however, asked the court to remand his clients in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
The judge rejected the defence counsel’s request to remand his clients in the EFCC’s custody and remanded them in a correctional centre.
The judge further adjourned the matter till July 4, 2025 for the commencement of trial.
Operatives of the EFCC arrested the two Chinese nationals on May 9, 2025, alongside six Nigerians for a crime allegedly committed in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The suspects—Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu—were apprehended during a sting operation, following credible intelligence received by the Commission and detailed surveillance carried out on their activities.
At the point of arrest, operatives recovered three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder, along with other yet-to-be-identified solid minerals.
Other items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, samples of suspected low-grade lithium, ATM cards, passports, four LED flashlights, and various documents relevant to the investigation.
